John l



(No Model.)

J. L. RICHTER.

TUBE FORMING MACHINE.

No. 327,721. Patented Oct. 6, 1885.

ITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. RICHTER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. V.MONTAGUE, OF SAME PLACE.

TUBE-FORMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,721, dated October6, 1885.

Application filed July 16, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 11, JOHN L. RICHTER, of the city and county of SanFrancisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement inTube-Forming Machines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an apparatus or machine for rolling metal tubes;and my invention consists in a rotating traveling roller moving over themetal sheet within fixed guides, and having a peculiar clamp forsecuring the edge of the sheet, all of which I shall fully explain byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of my machine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of same.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine or apparatus adaptedto readily and perfectly roll a metal sheet to form a tube or pipe.

A is the bed or base-board, on the ends of which are guide-frames a. Inthe bed-frame is made longitudinally a channel, a.

B is the main roller, resting upon the bedframe and having upon itsshaft C at each end a small wheel, I), which is loose upon its journaland travels under the top bar of the end frames, at, thereby guiding theroller and holding it down on the bed-frame. To the projecting end ofthe shaft C of the roller is fixed a lever, D.

E is a bar or plate of the same length as the roller and secured to itsperiphery by pins 6, which are fitted loosely enough in their seats topermit said bar or plate to have a slight rocking movement. As shown inFig. 2, the bar E rests in the channela of the bedframe.

A link, F, is pivoted to one edge of the bar E, and is also pivoted tothe lever D.

The operation of my machine is as follows: IVhen the roller is at itsplace of beginning the position is as shown in Fig. 2. A sheet of metalis now taken and laid upon the bed, its edge being placed in between theedge of the clamping-bar E and the periphery of the roller. The lever Dis now grasped and raised. The first effect of this is to rock theclampingbar E,so as to bind tightly the edge of the metal sheet againstthe roller. The con- (No model.)

tinned movement of the lever D causes the forward movement or travel ofthe roller B, which, while rotating, also advances over the metal sheetand winds said sheet about its periphery up to a point offorming ahalf-tube. Then the half-formed tube is taken out and carried to anothermachine, (forming no part of this application,) in which one edge isdepressed equal to the thickness of the metal and of a width sufficientto form the proper lap of the joint. It is then returned to mymachine,and its other edge is placed between the clampingbar E and theroller, and another half-revolution and movement of the roller ismade,\vherebythe tube is completed. In this movement of the roller theloose wheelsb, by traveling in areverse directiomavoid friction, and. atthe same time hold the roller down on the sheet.

In making a complete tube the outerportion of the lapping edge of thetube fits over the part which was depressed, and the whole may besecured together in any suitable manner, depending upon the use to whichthe tube is to be put.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tube-forming machine, a bed on which the sheet is laid, a rolleradapted to travel on the bed over the sheet, a clamp on the periphery ofthe roller for securing the edge of the sheet, and suitable guidesforholding the roller down on the sheet, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. In a tube-forming machine, the bed A, having guide-frames a at eachend, in combination with the roller 13, the loose guidewheels I) on therollershaft, and arranged to travel under the guide-frames a and holdsaid roller down, and a clamp on the periphery of the roller arranged tosecu re the edge of the sheet, substantially as herein described.

3. In a tr1be-forming machine, the bed A, in combination with the rollerB, the rocking clamping bar or plate E on its periphery, the lever D onthe roller-shaft, and the link F,connecting the lever with the clampingbar or plate, substantially as herein described.

4. In a tube-forming machine, the bed A, having a longitudinal channel,a, in combination with the roller 13, the rocking clamp the clampingharE on the periphery ofthe ing-bar E on the periphery of the roller,

roller, and seated when at rest in the channel seated in the channel awhen at rest, the a, the lever D on the roller-shaft, and the lever D,bywhich the roller is advanced, and connecting-link F, between the leverand the the link F, connecting the clamping-bar with clamping bar,substantially as herein dethe lever, by which the clamp is effected,sub- I scribed.

stantially as herein described. In witness whereof I have hereunto setmy 5. In a tubeforming machine, the combinahand. tion of the bed A,having the guide-frames (6 JOHN L. RICHTER. on its ends, and alongitudinal channel, a, the Witnesses:

roller B, the loose guide-wheels b on the roller-shaft bearing under theend frames, 0,

LINCOLN SONNTAG, CHAS. SONNTAG.

